Fire-escape



(No Model.)

B. POX. TIRE ESCAPE.

Patented July 17, 1894.

.. FIG-- 2 p i I r; a; w

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. 4

BARBARY FOX, or NAPOLEON, INDIANA FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPEOIFIGATIQN forming pa; t of Letters Patent No. 522,981, dated July17, 1894.

Application filed April 16. 1894. Serial No. 507.712. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, BARBARY Fox, a citizen of the United States,residing at Napoleon, in the county of Ripley and State of Indiana, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, reference being had to the annexed drawings, whichform part of this specification.

This invention relates to those-apparatus.

which enable the inmates of a building to escape therefrom,in the eventof a fire, by sliding down within a canvas tube or chute whose upper orreceiving end is connected To a frame capable of being readily securedin the opening of a window or door, while the lower or the claim.

- incondition' for 3 discharging end of said tube reaches to the ground;and my improvement comprises a special form'of brake mechanism, which isso constructed as to insure the safe descent, at the same time, of agreater or less number of people, according to the emergency, thedetails of said mechanism being hereinafter more fully described, andthen pointed out-in "In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is a verticalsection showing my improved fire-escape use, the central portion of thechute being broken away to indicate that it may be of any desiredlength. Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevation of the frame to whichthe upperend of the chute is connected, the frame being attached to the innerside of a window. Fig. 3 is a similar elevation of a ring, and its1aolgessories, at the lower end of said chute or A represents a chute ortube made of sail cloth or other stout flexible-material, and of such adiameter as to permit an adult to slide down within it, the length ofsaid chute being determined by the elevation of the window or door towhich the fire escape is applied. The

lower or discharging end of this tube is at- 45' tached to, andconstantly distended, by a heavy ring B, to whose sides handles 0, C,

maybe applied, for the purpose of steadying straight bearing 1) is aflanged use of which will presently appear.

.saidfube; thesnpper-part of thering-bcing perfectly straight, for alimited distance, as seen at b, in Fig. 8. Journaled upon this roller1), the

The upper end of the chute is similarly distended by another heavy ringE, which latter is coupled to a pair of upright stiles F, F, by links orstaples e, c, the top and bottom of said stiles being united by crossbars G, H. These parts, F, F, G, II, form a rectangular frame of such asize as to be readily inserted within the opening of an ordinary windowor door, and when thus applied said frame may be secured with anyconvenient fasteners. In Fig. 2, this frame is seen fitted in a windowopening I, and provided with claws J, J, that engage over thewindow-sill. Said frame may also have hooks K, K, to catch into staplesk, is, of the window casing.

L is a screw, tapped in the cross-bar G, and having at its upper endahand-wheel orerank Z, while its lower end is in contact with ac1amp-rail M, whose ends traverse longitudinal grooves f, f, of thestiles F, F. Journalcd in these stiles, and arranged parallel with therail M, is a flanged shaft or long roller N, around which is passed anendless flexible-band O. This band may be made of rope or leather, butleather is preferred, and is suificiently long topass around the otherroller D, at the bottom of the chute. Qonsequently, one half of thisband or belt is external, with reference to the chute A, while the otherhalf traverses said tube, from end to end.

My fire-escape is arranged to operate in the following manner: When theapparatus is to be permanently applied to a tall building, such as ahotel, the frame F F GlI, can be fitted within a special opening, andthe chute A. and band 0 be drawn up to said opening and retained in acompact shape by fasteners capable of being readily detached in theevent of a fire. In such an emergency, these fasteners are unloosenedand the chute permitted to unfold and descend to the ground, after whichact, the handles 0, C, are grasped by people in the street, who thendraw the lower end of the tube as far away from the building ascircumstances willadmit. By this pro fording an unobstructed, inclinedpassage from the window to the ground. 'lhe'occupants of the buildingthen enter the open, upper end of the tube, one at a time, grasp needingthe chute is straightened out andremv 'fieiedl'rce 'ildl'n l'olds orbends, thereby af- L is so advanced as to produce a limited.

pressure of the rail M upon the belt 0, but as the escape becomes morecrowded, the pressure is increased accordingly. It will thus be seenthat my brake-mechanism enables the escape to be so regulated as toinsure a safeand gradual descent of people within the tube; no matterhow few. or many are to be accommodated at the same time;

more, suitable slings may be temporarily. coupled tothe belt, for thepurpose of lower-' Furthering children, which slings canbe detached atthe bottom of the chute.

Again, by making the roller somewhat long, the belt 0 can shift toeither side of the chute, and yet be subjected to the clamping device,and, if desired, the periphery of said wear and tear of said belt.

roller, and also of the other roller D, may be covered with leather orrubber to prevent Or, a rubber roller mav be journaled in the rail M,and

bear upon the belt, Finally, the chute can be wholly or partially linedwith leather or rubber, and a hammock may beattach'ed. to its lower endto deaden any I claim as my invention-jv In co'nbi eic h a 'fire-esc'aping of a. flexible chute having rings attached to its ends, and theupper ,ring coupled to a frame capable of being secured. in a window 3 5or door; 'the roller D, journaled upon the ,r lower ring B; the rollerN, journaledin said frame; the endless belt 0, passing around. theserollers, and having one portion extend to said chute, while its otherportion passes through the latter, from endtgepdtthe' #1 justablefrailM, moving within said ra s;- and a device for applyingpre'ssure-toisaidi, rail; all as herein described, and for the purv posestated. j 45 In testimony whereof I alfix my signature inpresence of twowitnesses. 4

'B-ARBARY FOX.

Witnesses:

SUSIE MYERS, ELIZABETH J oHNsoN,

possible shook. 3o

onsist Correction in Letters Patent No. 522,981.

. Gountersigned It is hereby certified that in Lettern Patent No.522,981, granted July 17,1894, upon the applicationof Barbary Fox, ofNapoleon, Indiana, for an improvement in Fiz e v E scapes, an errorappears in the printed specification requiring the following c0rrection,viz: In line 39, page 2, the word. 7 extend shouldread external,- andthat said Letters Patent should be read with thi correction therein thatthe same may conform to the fee/""1 the .1386 in the Patent Ofiiee.Signed, countersigned, and sealed this 24th day of July, A. D.- 1894.

[SEAL] Q-WMQ H. SI-MS,

' First Assistant Seoi'etary of the Interior.

JOHN S. SEYMOUR,

Commissioner of Patten"

